“That’s called a tattoo,” I grunted.
“It’s called torture.”
His girlfriend, Katie, laughed from the front desk. “I still couldn’t believe when you said you wanted a tattoo. You cried during a flu shot.”
“I was sick,” he grunted. “And at least at the end of this, I’ll have a badass tattoo.”
“I guess tattoos are like stickers for adults,” Katie joked. “Something tells me you won’t be getting many, though.”
Josie laughed harder.
Katie pointed. “See? She gets it.”
Josie held up both hands. “I am staying out of this. I also only have one tattoo and it’s a, eighth of the size of Mason’s.”
I smirked and got back to work. The lion head spread across his bicep nicely with bold black lines, a thick mane, and fierce eyes. A tattoo that looked tough without trying too hard.
Unlike the man wearing it.
“You sure you want it this big? I could always switch gears.” I asked.
Mason glared. “Shut up and tattoo.”
Katie snorted. “I told him to start smaller and get flowers.”
“Babe,” Mason called. “You know how I say it’s a good thing you’re so fucking hot? This is one of those moments.”
“I got one of those, too,” Rome joked.
“But you always say you like what I do with my mouth,” Katie smirked.
Josie looked horrified. “This is a conversation I could never have across the street.”
Katie pointed at me. “You’re not doing a very good job at corrupting Josie.”
“I’m working on it,” I laughed.
“Careful, man. The corrupted ones turn on you,” Mason grunted.
“I’m good with whatever Josie wants to throw at me.” I looked up and caught her smiling at me.
And there it was.
That feeling. The one I’d been trying really hard not to think about too much. I looked back down at Mason’s arm before I did something stupid like grin.
Too late.
Mason saw.
“Oh, he’s gone.”
“Fuck off,” I growled.
Katie laughed.
Josie tilted her head. “What?”
Mason pointed at me. “He smiles when he looks at you.”
